Abstract

Ground-penetrating radar or georadar is a popular method in engineering and archeology for investigation of objects in shallow subsurface at high resolution. Georadars produce electromagnetic waves which propagate into the subsurface, and its interaction with the dielectric contrast is reflected and recorded in the radargram. It is an environmentally safe and nondestructive method and can be used for monitoring of active faults in the landslide-prone regions. This chapter explains the concept of georadar and its implementation on the detection of the active fault—Lembang fault—located in Bandung, Indonesia. Bandung is a highly populated city with many living around the active fault which poses a high risk of landslides. The Lembang fault was created by tectonic forces during the Pleistocene and has been constantly reactivated by recent volcanic events. It is the largest active fault in West Java, Indonesia, which is located in the midst of a densely populated urban area. A georadar survey using 25 MHz and 50 Hz frequency antenna was conducted to detect the fault in the urban setting. Unix-based seismic software was used to process the electromagnetic signals. The results showed that the georadar method was successful in identifying the active fault with clear imaging of the subsurface structures and basement of the region.

Keywords: fault, georadar, electromagnetic wave, wave propagation, radargram
